Gun-disappearing apparatus



J. A. MORAN.

GUN DlSAPPEARING APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC'301919. 1,399,395. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.-

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. A. MORAN.

GUN DISAPPEARING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1919.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

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Q 3 M... R M .Sw

J. A. MORAN.

GUN DISAPPEARING APPARATUS. MPLICATION FILED 050.30.1919.

1,399,395, Pafented Bed. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

50 flange 43 is slightly abovethe upper face of PAT JOHN AUSTIN MORAN,OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GUN-DISAPPEARING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application filed December 30, 1919. Serial No. 348,271.

I T all whom it may concern of an electric motor.

Be it known that I, JOHN AUSTIN MoR N, a citizen of the United States,and resident of the borough of Brooklyn, New York city, in the county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in a Gun Dis'appearing Apparatus, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a gun disappearing apparatus, which can easilybe installed in a'vessel, that was not originally intended to beprovided with guns. n

The disappearing apparatus is supported on a turntable, which is turnedby means The supporting devices of the gun are actuated by pistons inhydraulic cylinders. The water for the cylinders is providedby a pump inthe engine room of the vessel.'

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a vessel having portions brokenaway with a partial section of Fig. 2 on the line 1, l, and a pair ofside elevations of the gun disappearing apparatus with their guns, Fig.3 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a partialtop plan view of Fig. 3 and section of'said figure on the line 4, 4;Fig. 5 represents a left hand view and partial section of Fig. 4 on thebroken line, 5, 5; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 show "horizontal axial sections of athree way valve with fragmentary portions of their pipe connections, andFig. 9 is an enlarged portion of Fig. 3. A vessel-20 is indicated withthe engine room 21, the upper deck 22 and the gun chambers 23 and 24.The chambers have the end walls 25, 26 and the side walls 28 29.Openings 30 are formed in the roof of each chamber for detachable coversnot shown,

In each of the chambers 23, 24 is indicated an annular bed plate 35which is fastened to the deck 36. A ball bearing race 37 and bearing 38with the heel 39 are formed in the bed plate 35. A turntable 40 hasformed therein with the central open: ing 41, the ball bearing race 42and the flange 43. Bevel gear teeth 44 are formed withythe turntableF40. The lower faceo'f the the bearing 38. A ring45 'islbolted to theheel 39. The coaction ofthe flange 43 and ring 45; constitutesa lockingmeans for the turntable and preventsit tipping or dis:- see a ng mi s 54 2159 5 when th se-.

is fired, but permits the rotation of the turntable at all times. Ballbearings 46 are located between the races 37 and 42. In each of thechambers 23, 24 is provided a journal bracket 47 and adjacent to thechambers are secured journal brackets 48 each with thehorizontal'bearing 49 and the vertical bearing 50. A shaft 52 isjournaled in each journal bracket 47 and in its ac companying bearing49.

A journal bracket 54 havingthe bearing 55 extends below the upper deck22. A vertical shaft 56 is'journaled in the bearings 50 and 55. A bevelgear 57 on one end of the shaft 52 meshes with the bevel teeth 44. Abevel gear62 fastened on the other end of the shaft 52 meshes with thebevel gear 63 fastened to one end of the shaft 56. A bevel gear 64 isfastened to the other end of theshaft 56. An electric motor 65 extendsbelow the upper deck 22 and has secured to its armature shaft the bevelgear 66, which meshes with the bevel gear 64. An electric controller 67having the handle 68 is provided for the electric motor 65. Wires, notshown, for electric current "are connected to said controller 67. v

A pair of hydraulic cylinders are indicated, at 70. Each of thecylinders has formed therewith a supporting bracket 71 with the foot 72.The latter is bolted to the turntable 40. A piston 73 with piston rod 74is provided for each cylinder 7 O. A cross head 75 is'fastened to oneend of each piston rod 74.

Guides are shown with the members 7 6 and 7 6?. The latter have formedtherewith the brackets 77 having the feet 78. The latter are bolted tothe turntable 40. A pair of journal brackets 82 and the cradles 83 and84 are fastened to the turntable 40.

A disappearing gun 86 is indicated with its pivot 87 and socket 88. Arms89 extend from the socket 88. -The outer ends of the arms 89 are pivotedto the journal brackets 82 by means of the pins 90. Links 91 have eachone end pivoted to the socket 88 by means of the'pins 92 and their otherto each line of piping 97, to enable the pipe 97 to be drained. Thepiping 97 has con} nected thereto the T 103.

A branch pipe 104 extends from the T 103 and is provided at its upperend. with a stufiing box 105 which has its vertical axis in line withthe vertical axial center of the turntable 40. An elbow 106 is-connectedto the top end of the stuffing box 105. Piping 107 and 108 with thethree-way valve 109-is connected to the elbow 106.- The valve 109 haalso connected thereto the pipe 110. A hollow plug with ports, as to be'described, for the valve 126, is provided for the valve 109. The piping108 is connected to the back end of each of the cylinders 70. Anoperating rod 116 with the operating hand Wheel 117 is connected to thehollow plug in the valve 109. A pipe 119 with the elbow 120 extends fromthe T 103. A branch pipe 122 extendsfrom the elbow 120 and has extendingtherefrom the piping 123 and 124 similar respectively to the piping 107and 108; A stufling box 125 similar to 105 is connected to the piping124. Piping 125 leads from the stufling box 125 to the front ends of thecylinders 70. A three way valve 126 similar to 109 is connected to thepiping 123 and 124. A hollow plug valve 111' with the ports 112, 112 and112 is seated in the valve 126.

An operating rod 127 andoperating hand wheel 128 respectively similar to116 and 117 are provided for the three-way valve 126. A pipe 132 similarto the pipe 110 extends from the three-way valve 126. 'The pipes 110 and132 are connected by the piping 133 and from the latter extends thedischarge pipe 135. Drain piping 136 extends from the chamber 23 anddrain piping 137*extends from the chamber 24.

To operate the gun disappearing apparatus,the covers, not shown, for theopenings 30 of the gun chambers 23 and 24 are removed.

The guns 86 in their lowered position are indicated in dotted lines inFig. 3.

To elevate the guns to their upper and V firing position the pumps 95are started, by

means of which water will be forced up the discharge piping 97. Uponopening the three-way valve 126 by means of the operating hand wheel128, to locate the hollow plug 111 to the position shown in Fig. 6, thatis to say, with the port 112 in line with the port 113 and the port 112in line with the port 114, water will flow through the piping 123,

124 and 125* in the direction of the arrow A and enter the front end Fof the cylinders 70. B this means the pistons 73 and cross: heads 75will move in the direction of the arrow D.

' This will cause the links 91 to swin from their positions shown indotted lines in Fig.

lines in said figure. At the same time the guns 86' will be raised fromtheir lower position on the cradles 83 and 84 shown in dotted lines inFig, 3, in the gun chambers 23 and 2 4, to their" elevated or raisedpositions shown in full lines in said figure. V

' The hollow plug 111 may now be turned to the position shown in Fig. 7with all the ports 112, 112 and 112 closed and the water will beretained in the cylinders 7 O with the pistons 73 adjacent to the backends D; If

it is desired to lower the guns the hollow;

plug 111 of the valve 126 is turned'to the position shown in Fig. 8 withthe port 112 in line with theport 114 and the port 112 in line with theport 115, when the water in front of the piston 73 will flow through thepiping 125*, 124, valve 126, pipe 132 and piping 135 to be discharged.At the same time the valve 107 is operated as described for the valve126 and water pressure will be brought between the'pistons 73 and theback piping 108 and 12 5 revolve around the axial centers ofthe-stufling boxes 105 and 125, the latter permitting the revolutions ofsaid piping, the vertical axial line of the stufiin box 125 being inline with the vertical axi line of the stufling'box 105 Having describedmly invention what I desire to secure by etters Patent and claim is:

1. Ina gun disappearin apparatus the combination of a gun',a soc et forthe pivot of the gun, arms extending from the socket, a pair of linkswith the upper end ofeach pivoted to said socket, a turntable, journalbrackets supported on the turntable, the arms of the socket pivoted tosaid journal brackets, a pair of cylinders supported on the turn table,a piston for each cylinder, a piston rod for each piston, pairs ofguides on the turntable, a' cross head for each pair of guides, saidcross head connected to its accompanying piston rod, the-lower ends ofsaidlinks pivoted to said cross heads and means to force a fluid intoeach end of both cylinders. i 2. In a gun disappearing a paratus thecombination of agun, a turnta le, 3. pair of hydraulic cylinders on theturntable, a piston with a piston rod for each cylinder, connectionsbetween each piston rod and the gun to locate the latter at difierentlevels,

3 to their elevated positions shown'iin fall a pump, discharge piping1.11 the pump,

branch pipes extending from the discharge piping, piping extending fromone of the branch pipes to one end of the cylinders, a stufling box forthe latter piping, piping extending from the other branch pipe to theother ends of the cylinders and a stufling box for the latter piping,the longitudinal axes of the'stuifing boxes and the axial center line ofthe turntable coincident with one another.

3. In a gun disappearing apparatus the combination of a gun, aturntable, a pair of hydraulic cylinders on the turntable, a piston witha piston rod for each cylinder, connections between each piston rod andthe gun to locate the latter at difierent levels, a pair of cradles onthe turntable to support the gun in its lowered position, a pump,discharge piping for the pump, branch pipes extending from the dischargepiping, piping extending from one of the branch pipes to one end of thecylinders, a three way valve and a stufiing box for the latter piping,piping extending from the other branch pipe to the other ends of thecylinders, a three way valve and a stufiing box for the latter piping,the longitudinal axes of the stufl'lng boxes and the axial center lineof the turntable coincident with one another.

4. The combination in a vessel of a gun chamber, a turntable in thechamber, hydraulic cylinders on the turntable, a piston for eachcylinder, a pair of journal brackets supported on the turntable, a gun,a socket for the pivot of the gun, a pair of arms extending from saidsocket, the outer ends of the arms pivoted to said journal brackets,

connections between the said pistons and the gun to locate the latter atdifferent levels, a pump, piping to lead water under pressure from thepump to the cylinders to reciprocate the pistons therein and means toturn the turntables.

5. The combination in a vessel of a gun chamber, a turntable in thechamber, means to turn the turntable, a pair of hydraulic cylinders onthe turntable, a pump, piping leading from the pump to both ends of thecylinders, stuffing boxes with their longitudinal axes coincident withthe axial center line of the turntable connected to the piping to permitthe revolution of a portion thereof when the turntable is turning, apiston in each cylinder, a gun and connections between the gun and saidpistons to locate the gun at different levels.

6. The combination in a vessel of a pair of gun chambers below the upperdeck of the vessel, a turntable for each chamber, electriemeans to turneach turntable independently of each other, a pair of pumps in thevessel, a pair of hydraulic cylinders on each turntable, a pair ofjournal brackets on each turntable, a gun for each gun chamber, a socketfor the pivot of each gun, a pair of arms extending from each socketwith their outer ends pivoted to the journal brackets of itsaccompanying turntable, a piston in each cylinder, linked connectionsbetween each piston and its accompanying gun socket to locate the gunsat different levels, piping connecting each pump and a pair of saidhydraulic cylinders and stuffing boxes in the piping to permit portionsthereof to revolve with the rotations of the turntables.

Signed at the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, in the county ofKings and State of New York, this 18th day of December A. D. 1919.

JOHN AUSTIN MORAN.

